TLN’s Game Preview: Lakers vs. Kings

I went to the Kings blog (Sactown Royalty) to get some kind of read on what they expect to get out of Sunday’s game. Instead, I got debates concerning who to pick in the lottery ran rampant.

Now some of you may feel pity for them, but heed my words: Don’t!! As Stu Lantz would say “don’t hug or kiss them when you’ve got them on life support, don’t give them mouth-to-mouth, stab ‘em in the heart!” Just paraphrasing, of course…

Marquee Matchups -

Point Guard – Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar vs. Anthony Johnson: Johnson has never been an exceptional player, in fact he’s been a back-up most of his career, but he is slated to start on Sunday with Beno out with a back injury. The only reason I could think of that Johnson would start over Garcia is that he is an actual pass-first point guard. Our veteran should match up well with their veteran, and our youngin’ should be able to blow past him on a second night of a back-to-back for the Kings.

Advantage: Lakers.

Shooting Guard – Kobe Bryant vs. Kevin Martin: Like I said in a previous preview, comparing Kevin Martin to Kobe Bryant is like comparing the lighting in the stands to the lighting on the court of a Lakers home game… and nothing much has changed since then.

Advantage: Lakers.

Small Forward – Vladimir Radmanovic vs. Ron Artest: Artest actually shoots the ball really well for a defensive player. How many people knew he’s averaging a career high 20 points a game, but then again he defends really well for an offensive player. Vladdy is going to have a rough time in this one, and Luke won’t fair much better. Look for a lot of Kobe at the 3 and Sasha at the 2 in this game.

Advantage: Kings.

Power Forward – Lamar Odom vs. Mikki Moore: Possibly the easiest match up out of the starting five. No offense to Moore, he’s got a very similar game to Turiaf, but he is too scrawny to handle Odom down-low on defense and his offensive post game lacks any sort of finesse whatsoever. If Odom continues to listen to Phil and stays in the paint this should be a very easy match-up.

Advantage: Lakers.

Center – Pau Gasol vs. Brad Miller: the last time I previewed the Kings I called no advantage. But as Mitch4Pres says, it really is advantage Lakers.

brad miller and pau a tie??????? Pau is a better shooter from outside, a better passer, both aren’t great defensively, but pau is better offensively in general. Pau definitely has the advantage in this match up.

Advantage: Lakers.

Bench -

The Kings are looking to play their younger players now that they have nothing to play for. This means we’ll probably see more of Spencer Hawes, Quincy Douby, and Shelden Williams. Apart from that, John Salmons is a triple-double threat if he gets going.

Because of all the size they have up front it wouldn’t suprise me if Mihm plays at some point. Beyond that, if Sasha, Farmar, and Turiaf bring it as usual we should be fine

Advantage: Lakers

Key Matchup -

Kobe vs. Artest: it’s simple really. If Artest can handle Kobe 1-on-1 then they won’t double him and all that beautiful passing that Pau and Lamar do will increase in degree of difficulty. Usually, Kobe does quite well on the blocks or at the elbow, but Artest is physical enough to trouble Kobe down low without needing a double team, so the simplest way to force the double team is to give Kobe the ball on the perimeter and let him read the defense.

Statistical Predictions -

Don’t worry folks, next year we’ll keep track if how well I do.

20+ Points: Kobe, Gasol, and Lamar.

10+ Rebounds: Lamar, and Kobe

2+ Blocks: Kobe, Gasol, Turiaf.

3+ 3pointers: Nobody.

Closest To A Triple-Double: Lamar, or Gasol

Out On A Limb: My dad could beat up your dad.

Game Information -

Radio: KLAC & KWKW

Television: KCAL 9 & KXTV 10

Online: NBA LP

Burning Questions -

How long before crazed Kobe fans start making Kobe Facts a la Chuck Norris?

I’ll Get Them Started: Kobe’s contract has a hidden clause saying that he must wear jerseys weighing at least 50 pounds, and shoes 20 pounds each; this is to ensure that the Kobe/Micheal Jordan comparisons remain realistic.

Kobe eats gun powder & bullets before games to ensure that he has a killer instinct when he plays.

http://thelakersnation.com kb24 4life

should be an interesting game, at the end lakers will win it…

longbeachonmines

Kobe uses Tabasco Sauce for eyedrops

TDG

“Vladdy is going to have a rough time in this one, and Luke won’t fair much better. Look for a lot of Kobe at the 3 and Sasha at the 2 in this game.”

No. Look for Lamar on Artest and vladi/luke on miller. Yes, Brad miller

http://myspace.com/plummerrocks Machinehead18

This’ll be a fun game to watch. I disagree with the fact you said no one will shoot 3+ 3 pointers. I think Sasha will play a lot this game, so you know what that means……a lot of 3 pointers.

Lakers win 112-93.

getMAYO.com

i want to see if garcia try’s to dunk on kobe lol…we should win by at least 15

kobe fact # 1,392:

When Arnold says the line “I’ll be back” in the first Terminator movie, it is implied that he is going to ask Kobe for help

http://thelakersation.com/blog PauKobeBynumDynasty

Isnt Beno Udrih on this team?

http://thelakersnation.com/blog/?page_id=2373 Jonny

[Comment ID #31806 Will Be Quoted Here]

he’s out injured mate, back problems of some kind i believe

http://thelakersnation.com/blog/?page_id=2373 Jonny

[Comment ID #31800 Will Be Quoted Here]

ahh, i really should be clearer there, it’s three MADE 3pointers. . we’ll see. . but i just wasn’t feeling anyone pulling it off

dezmond

they better handle this business tonight.

DingleBerry

Isnt artest and miller sitting out too? Or was that just yesterday’s game?

http://thelakersation.com/blog PauKobeBynumDynasty

yea the lakers better win, and the hornets better lose to the warriors. if the lakers can get this victory with a spurs loss, then we should capure 2nd place in the west…but im a laker fan, i dont settle for that.

http://thelakersation.com/blog PauKobeBynumDynasty

a littl off topic…how do u reply to a message?

ZestyItalian2

Kobe had the corneas of his eyes removed two seasons ago at the behest of his wife, Vanessa, because direct eye contact between Kobe and a human female results directly and immediately in pregnancy (usually triplets or quadruplets.)

He has been playing basketball on pure muscle memory ever since.

ZestyItalian2

The 2008 U.S. Census reveals that Kobe Bryant is the leading cause of death among black men over 6’3.

Kobe Bryant covertly runs both the U.S. and Italian governments, holding bilingual cabinet meetings between home games in his subterranian Orange County lair.

Numerologists have recently concluded that Kobe Bryant’s changing of his jersey number from 8 to 24 has no mystical numerological significance. It simply represents the number of men he killed between the 05-06 and 06-07 seasons (he had to blow off some steam after the Kwame-Smush fueled playoff meltdown against the Suns)

http://ll@yahoo.com lakerfan4lyfe

LETS ROLl on THem QUEENZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

page 1ne

David Stern had a computer chip implanted into Kobe’s brain that would prevent him from playing with more than 50% intensity during the night of his draft. Findings show that on January 22, 2006 he somehow played at 57%.

iLakers

[Comment ID #31825 Will Be Quoted Here]

i like this one…hahahaha

and the tabasco sauce one.

LAker

Kobe facts:

Medical research finds Kobe is the leading cause for ankle sprains the last 10 years.

When the Lakers medical staff ran out of ice to treat Gasol’s ankle, Kobe got a knife and cut himself to get out some of the ice in his veins.

Known for being realistic, EA Sports had to recall the video game NBA Live after an 8 year old was found missing a shot using Kobe.

http://www.hard-wood.org/?cat=34 Billy Kupchak

how about we throw in IRA to guard RonRon?

longbeachonmines

[Comment ID #31836 Will Be Quoted Here]

lolllll@the nba live one

http://myspace.com/plummerrocks Machinehead18

[Comment ID #31809 Will Be Quoted Here]

At first, when you said “MADE 3pointers”, I thought that was a diss towards Sasha. But I knew what you meant.

He’ll make 3. Just watch.

MILO

Well it’s good to hear that Beno is injured because he causes a lot of problems for us!!!

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With the Lakers off to a poor start, trade rumors have begun to swirl around Kobe Bryant, leading many to speculate if he'll leave for greener pastures. Kobe puts those rumors to rest in his interview with Yahoo Sports.